Beatles rooftop tribute big turnout despite weather

Most Friday afternoons, downtown London is astir with people transferring buses, exchanging words or stopping quickly at the businesses lining the streets. But last Friday on Dundas between Wellington and Clarence, Londoners were given a reason to slow down.

In spite of the cold, the crowd bobbed and swayed to the music, chanting to familiar hits like â€śGet Backâ€ť and â€śIâ€™ve Got a Feeling.â€ť While the free outdoor concert didnâ€™t have the thematic depth of other Beatles tributes, it captivated the mass gathering on the street with a loyal interpretation of some of the fab fourâ€™s most popular singles.

While the novelty of performing on a rooftop did strike many of the onlookers, it was not without its drawbacks. The performers were, for the most part, invisible to those on street level and those clever enough to watch from the windows of the Central Library had to listen to the tracks muffled by the open windows. The speakers carried the music from the roof of Coffee Culture across several nearby streets, but it was nonetheless a challenge to watch the musicians as they played.

The set list, while impressive, did leave many wanting more as any 45-minute show will inevitably fail to accurately represent the Beatlesâ€™ impact on music. The band added to the experience between songs as they chattered to the audience in faux British accents â€" Lennonâ€™s voice being almost as entertaining in parody as in reality.

As the final song concluded and the band signed off with a â€śgoodnight London,â€ť the crowdâ€™s ovation felt almost appropriate for the iconic band the show had paid tribute to.

As the noise emanating from Dundas hushed, the audience slowly began to disperse at the guidance of London Police Service officers blocking traffic at either side of the street. Within the hour, downtown had returned to its transitory state as people briskly carried on with their lives.